Mill for treating ores and the like.



A. V. PARK.

MILL FOR TREATING ORES AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED 00L 5. l9l4.

1 139,06 1. Patented Mayll, 1915.

2- SHEIETSSHEET I.

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/6 46 45% I 44 gig /i I 45; 4/ 4 l 89 62 o 6 v I Q 85 6 i i 64 I| 94 N 2 l I l rweu/oz/ WWI/med /L. V-Park THE NORRIS PETERS Ca. PHOTOLITHOH WASHINGTON, D.

A. V. PARK.

MILL FOR TREATING ORES ANDTHE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 5, l9l4.-

Patented May 11, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

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THE NORRIS PETERS 60., PHOTO-LITHCL, WASHINGTON, D. C.

ALBERT VICTOR PARK, OF SOUTH MELBOURNE, MELBOURNE, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA.

MILL FOR TREATING ORES AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 11, 1915.

Application filed October 5, 1914. Serial No. 865,169.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT VICTOR PARK, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, and a resident of the city of South Melbourne, a suburb of the city of Melbourne, in the county of Bourke, State of Victoria, Commonwealth of Australia,

(whose post-ofiice address is 96 Market.

street, in the said city of South Melbourne,) have invented a certain new and useful Improved Mill for Treating Ores and the like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the pulverization of ores and the like.

Primarily the invention is intended for treating ores but it is to be understood that in use it is not limited thereto.

Hitherto it has generally been necessary to break the ore to a predetermined size, then to crush it to a comparatively small size, and finally to grind it to a very fine condition. The ore has then been treated for the recovery of the precious metals it contains.

In pulverizing ores previously a stamper battery has generally been employed wherein a reciprocatory stamper head repeatedly falls upon the broken ore and is partially rotated during each elevation so that as it descends a different portion of the head is presented to the ore with each blow in order to equalize the wear and tear upon the said head. The stamper head upon encountering the ore immediately comes to rest as its operating devices provide an intermittent action only. Further, as the stamper head descends repeatedly upon the ore that which is disintegrated sometimes serves an adverse purpose in providing a pad for the larger ore above it. Still further, the box containing the ore usually contains also several inches of water through which the stamper head must pass before reaching the ore. This water offers resistance to the head, a battery being on the whole very uneconomical in practice. In present day treatment, also, there are certain classes of sands and tailings from which precious metals cannot be extracted because it is impossible to reduce the material economically to a sufliciently fine state or regularity of size. In reducing ores preparatory to the recovery of their precious metals it is necessary for the ore to be of even and regular size, the

greater the regularity the more economical being the recovery. The fineness or size depends upon the class of ore.

It is recognized by most authorities that to economically reduce ore it is necessary to systematically and automatically feed the ore to whatever reducing devices are employed and to just as systematically and automatically discharge the material as it is reduced to the size desired. This, however, has never been actually attained in practice.

The object of this invention is to provide a single apparatus wherein ore may be positively reduced much more cheaply and expeditiously than hitherto and wherein the ore is reduced to a maximum uniformity and, if necessary, to an exceptionally fine state, it being desirable, as aforementioned, to secure uniformity if a maximum recovery of the precious metals is to be obtained.

By the invention the first cost and also the cost of maintenance is reduced and the cost of transport, installation and labor greatly lessened. In addition, far more material may be treated in a given time and the precious metals recovered from the comparatively quickly reduced ore in a far greater percentage than has previously been thought possible. For example, it has been proven that with the use of the present invention tailings may be expeditiously treated and precious metals in payable quantities recovered from the finely pulverized material although the said material has previously been discarded as unworkable with profit. So efficient is the apparatus in reducing ore that in many instances it is possible to dispense with certain expensive treatments at present practised. The major causes of the economy and efficiency of the present invention reside in the action of the reducing devices, in the systematic and automatic feed of the ore to the said reducing devices and in the discharge of the reduced material therefrom.

The invention in effect embodies the functions of a rock breaker, stamper battery and grinding device in one apparatus.

In the following description and annexed drawing one embodiment of the invention is disclosed in detail but it is to be understood that the said invention is not limited to the details of construction herein described or to the treatment of any particular ore, sands or other material. But in order that this invention may be better understood reference will now be made to the accompanying sheet of drawings which are to be taken as part of this specification and read herewith.

Figure 1 is a part vertical section of a mill according to this invention. A hopper and means for delivering ore therefrom have been omitted for convenience of illustration. Fig. 2 is a detail part sectional view showing a hopper and means for intermittently delivering ore therefrom. Fig. 3 is a plan of an innerv and an outer disintegrator and grinder. Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of a slide carried by a disintegrator and grinder shaft. Fig. 5 is a detail plan of a feed belt, a hopper being removed for convenience of illustration. Fig. 6 is a part sectional view of the upper end of a modified inner and outer disintegrator. Fig. 7 is a cross section on line A-A Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is a part sectional view of the lower end of the. modified inner and outer disin tegrator, portion of a base beingalso shown. The disintegrators are at the limit of their downward travel, the material between them and the base being removed for convenience of illustration.

The invention includes a base 2 carryinga wearing ring 3 having therein a central hole. Around the central hole is a circumferential step or shoulder 4. lVithin the central hole is a holding plate 5 having a circumferential step or shoulder 6 engaging the step or shoulder 4. Passin through the plate 5 and into the base 2 is a retention screw 7 Supported by the base 2 is a frame having a lower end 8 and an upper end 9. Mounted upon the upper end 9 is a supporting ring or disk 10 having a central depending bearing 11. Carried by the ring or disk 10 is an upstanding bifurcated bearing piece 12 having two legs 13 formed in each of which a guideway indicated at 14. The legs are united at their upper ends by a bridge 15. Mounted in a suitable bearing 16 carried by the supporting ring or disk 10 and also born in the upper end 9 of the frame is a vertical spindle 17 having secured to its lower end a first toothed wheel 18 and having secured to its upper end a first bevel pinion 19. Engaging the pinion 19 is a second bevel pinion 20 mounted upon a horizontal shaft 21 supported in a bearing or bearings 22 carried by the bearing piece 12. Also mounted upon the shaft 21 is a driving pulley 23, a flywheel 24 and a second toothed wheel 25. Engaging the second toothed wheel 25 is a third toothed wheel 26 mounted upon a cam shaft 27 supported in bearings 28 carried by the bearing piece 12. Secured to the cam shaft, between the legs 1.3 of the bearing piece 12, are two earns 29 of any ordinary character. Secured to the cam shaft 27 is also an eccentric 30 having a strap 31 to which is secured one end of a connecting rod 32.

Engaged by the cams 29 are two rollers 33 each mounted upon'a side pin 34 protruding from a slide or free collar 35. The slide moves between the legs 13 of the bearing piece 12 the pins projecting at their'outer ends into the guideways 14. Each pin at its outer end may have flats formed thereon or be provided with a slide block or the like. Above the slide or free collar 35 is an upper fixedcollar 36 between which and the slide 35 are upper ball bearings 37. Below the slide 35 is a lower fixed collar 38 between which and the slide 35 are lower ball bearings, 39. Passing through the slide 35, upper fixed collar 36 and lower fixed collar 38 is a vertical disintegrator and grinder shaft having an upper end 410 and a lower end 41. The collars 36, and 38 are fixedor secured to the said shaft at its upper end. The slide 35 is free upon the said shaft. The upper end 40 of the said vertical shaft is born in the bridge 15 at the top of the bearing piece 12. The shaft passes through the central depending bearing 11 of the supporting ring 10.

Secured to the lower end 41 of the shaft is an inner cylindrical disintegrator and grinder having aninner portion 42 provided with a central bearing chamber 43. The upper inner edge of the inner portion 42 is preferably rounded as at 44. Around the said upper end is a circumferential oil collecting gutter 45 passing from which may be an overflow pipe 46. This may be of a flexible nature. Protruding outwardly from the inner portion 42 is a series of ribs 47 uniting an outer portion 48 to the said inner portion. Formed between the ribs is a series of feeding ports indicated at 49. At the bottom of the ports 49 is an inclined centralizing flange 5O encircling a central delivery hole indicated at 51. Protruding outwardly from the outer portion 48 is a series of lifting ribs 52 each forming at its upper end a contact step or shoulder 53. Protruding outwardly from theouter portion 48 is a series of driving ribs 53. These are disposed at the upper end of said outer por tion 48. Carried by the outer portion 48 at its lower end is a grinding ring 54.

Encircling the inner disintegrator and grinder is, an outer disintegrator and grinder having an upper end 55 and a lower end 56. Formed at the upper end 55 is an inwardly overhanging circumferential step or shoulder 57 provided with vertical grooves into which pass the driving ribs 53*.

Secured to the upper end 55 is a toothed ring 58 with which the first toothed wheel 18 engages. The teeth of the ring 58 it will be seen, are of greater length than the teeth of the said wheellS. Uniformity of wear is obtained by making the first toothed wheel with an even number of teeth and the ring 58 with an odd number of teeth or vice versa. Carried by the outer disintegrator and grinder is a series of locking screws 59 the inner ends of which engage with threaded holes, indicated at 60, formed in the outer portion 48 of the inner disintegrator and grinder. The screws are only threaded into the holes 60 should it be desired to operate the disintegrators and grinders together or as one unit. Around the lower end 56 of the outer disintegrator and grinder is a circumferential oil collecting gutter 61 passing from which may be an overflow pipe 62 preferably of a flexible nature. Carried by the lower end 56 is a suitable grinding ring 63. Formed between the inner and outer disintegrators and grinders and between the grinding rings 54 and 63 is a space, indicated at 6st. Bearing against the exterior of the outer disintegrator and grinder is a series of guiding blocks 65 each being mounted upon the plain reduced end 66 of a thrust screw 67. The screws 67 are carried by the frame of the apparatus.

Carried by the outer end of the connecting rod 32 is a pin adjustably secured by a nut or in any other desired manner in a slotway 69 formed in the lower end 70 of an arm. The arm is pivotally mounted upon a shaft 71 the upper end 72 of the said arm carrying a pivoted pawl 73. The pawl 73 engages a ratchet wheel 74 secured to the shaft 71. Secured to the shaft 71 is also a first roller 75 extending across a chute 7 6. The lower end 77 of the chute communicates with the feeding ports 49 of the inner disintegrator and grinder. Mounted in the chute 76 is also a second roller 78. Passing around the rollers 75 and 78 is a feed belt 79 beneath which and extending across the chute 76 is a lateral support 80. Disposed above the chute and the feed'belt is a hopper 81 having at its bottom a discharge opening indicated at 82 the area of which opening may be regulated by a slide 83 or the like.

Encircling the lower end of the outer disintegrator and grinder is a receiving box or pan 84 having a cover 85. Communicating with the box or pan is a water inlet pipe 86 preferably disposed opposite a discharge chute 87 passing from the said box 84. Communicating with the box 84 is also a suction pipe or pipes 88 of a suitable fan 89. Disposed across the inner end of the suction pipe or pipes is a water spray pipe 90. The fan causes a current of air to pass down through the disintegrators and grinders thereby preventing dust arising.

The cycle of operations of this invention is as follows: Motion is transmitted to the horizontal shaft 21 by the driving pulley 23. lVith the shaft rotates the second toothed wheel 25 and the second bevel pinion 20.

The first bevel pinion 19 rotates the vertical spindle 17 and the first toothed wheel 18. The third toothed wheel 26 by engagement with the second toothed wheel 25 rotates the cam shaft 27. As the cam shaft rotates the cams 29 thereon engage the rollers 33 carried by the slide 35 of the disintegrator and grinder shaft. The cams elevate the said shaft. As the cam shaft rotates the eccentric 30 thereon also rotates and by means of the arm secured to the connecting rod 32, pawl 7 3 and ratchet wheel 74: transmits an intermittent motion to the feed belt 79 in the chute 76. The belt thereby conveys from the hopper 81 a charge of ore to be crushed and discharges the same into the feeding ports 49 of the inner disintegrator and grinder. As the vertical spindle 17 rotates the inner and outer disintegrators and grinders by reason of the toothed ring 58 also rotate. With them rotates the disintegrator and grinder shaft. The upper and lower collars 36 and 38 rotate with the shaft. The disintegrators and grinders are, therefore, rotated during their elevation by the cams 29. When the cams disengage from the rollers 33 the disintegrators and grinders immediately fall, but the rotation is not interrupted. The inner disintegrator and grinder, as described, is secured to the lower end 41 of the shaft. The contact steps or shoulders 53 of the said inner disintegrator and grinder are disposed below the circumferential step or shoulder 57 of the outer disintegrator and grinder so that when the shaft is elevated the inner disintegrator and grinder lifts before or prior to the outer disintegrator and grinder and only elevates the same after a" predetermined distance has been traversed. By employing an odd number of teeth in the wheel 18 and an even number of teeth in the ring 58 the wear of grinding rings 54: and 63 is even and the said rings do not become corrugated after use.

By movement of the feed belt 79 the ore to be crushed is periodically discharged into the feeding ports 49 as before described. The inclined centralizing flange 50 causes the ore delivered to form a cone within the inner disintegrator and grinder as shown in Fig. 1. When the inner disintegrator and grinder is elevated the ore forming the pinnacle or cone automatically and uniformly slides beneath the grinding ring 54 in a circumferential and radial direction. When the inner disintegrator and grinder falls the said ore is crushed and when the grinder is again elevated the pulverized material is forced or pushed from beneath the ring 54 by the next charge of insliding ore. The outer disintegrator and grinder always reaches the wearing ring 3 prior to the inner disintegrator and grinder so that ore being crushed by the inner disintegrator and. grinder, which has a longer and more effective crushing stroke, is prevented from spreading outwardly by the outer grinder. which is already in position. Both grinders continuously rotate so that the ore is thoroughly and uniformly ground. The ground material spreads circumferentially from the outer disintegrator and grinder and is discharged into the receiving box or pan 84 through which a continuous supply of water flows from the inlet pipe 86. The chute 87 from the box 84- may discharge the material on to any suitable sieve or other device. The fan 89 serves to create a draft down through the mill thereby preventing dust arising, the spray 90 preventing the dust and finely ground ore entering into the fan. If desired, however, the fan may be dispensed with and sprays or the like be used to prevent uprising dust. Should it be desired to use the inner and outer disintegrators and grinders in conjunction the locking screws 49 are threaded into the holes 60, the two grinders then rising and falling together. The foregoing description obviously relates chiefly to the treatment of ores, the distance the disintegrators and grinders fall and the length of time during which they grind the ore being varied or arranged to suit the nature of the said ore.

In a modification (Figs. 6 and 8) provimaterial is to be reduced being variable.

This is effected by adjusting the stroke of or distance traveled by the inner and the outer disintegrator. The material is not subjected to a grinding action for reasons hereinafter explained. The stroke adjustments are effected by providing the upper end of the outer disintegrator with a circumferential outstep or shoulder 91, the frame upper end 9. bearing against the said disintegrator at its upper end, as shown, and supporting a plurality of distance rings 92. The frame lower end 8 may also bear against the outer disintegrator as at 93, in lieu of the thrust screws 67. Supported by the steps or shoulders 53 of the inner disintegrator is a plurality of distance rings 94. It is obvious that by varying the number of distance rings 92 and 94 the distance traveled by the outer disintegrator and the distance traveled before the inner disintegrator elevates the outer one (and therefore the force of the blows delivered) may be adjusted to accord with the class of material being treated and the size required. The outer disintegrator, usually, would have but little travel. The employment of the distance rings 92 obviously will prevent the outer disintegrator from reaching the wearing ring 3 of the base 2 thereby forminga discharge space, indicated at 95. It will be apparent that by varying the number of rings employed the space 95 may be increased or reduced and therefore the discharge from the apparatus regulated to accord with the material being treated. The rotary movement of the disintegrators does not grind but merely discharges the material, the discharge space 95 obviously regulating the size to which the material is reduced. The apparatus is therefore not limited to the reduction of material to a very fine state but may also be employed for the production of comparatively coarse material.

The essence of the invention consists in the formation within the apparatus of a cone or pinnacle or ore to be ground or what may be termed a central feed and when treating ores, in the compound reciprocatory and continuous rotary motion of the disintegrators and grinders which not only pulverize the ore but by their continuous rotation are capable of grinding it to a very fine powder. Experiments have shown that in treating ore the apparatus is wonderfully efficient in operation and far superior to existing crushers and similar devices as the ore may be ground to any degree of fineness desired.

It is to be understood that additions may, if desired, be made to the constructions de scribed. For example an elevator may pass from any sieve or the like employed so as to deliver coarse material back to the hopper for further pulverization. In addition, the sieve employed may be of an oscillating or any other character and cams may protrude from the circumference of the outer disintegrator and grinder for the purpose of oscillating a spring controlled receiving box instead of employing the stationary box described. Still further, a single disintegrator and grinder only may be employed in some instances, the compound motion remaining the same. Any such variations, additions or modifications are considered within the ambit of the appended claims.

Having now described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a mill for treating ore, the combination of an inner and outer disintegrator, each having a percussive and a rotary action, -means connecting the two disintegrators to operate independently or together, and means for operating the disintegrators.

2. In an improved mill for treating ores, an inner and outer disintegrator each having a percussive and a rotary action upon the ore, said disintegrators having means to automatically discharge the ore as it is reduced, and means for automatically feeding successive charges of ore to the disintegrators.

3. In an improved mill for treating ores, means for automatically and intermittently feeding the ore to be reduced, reducing means having a percussive and grinding action upon the ore fed said reducing means including inner and outer disintegrators, said reducing means automatically discharging the ore as it is reduced, means for receiving the reduced ore discharged, and a sprayer for preventing dust arising during reduction of the ore.

4. In an improved mill for treating ores, reducing means, means including inner and outer disintegrators for automatically and intermittently feeding ore to the reducing means, said reducing means having a percussive and a grinding action upon the ore fed, said reducing means automatically discharging the ore as it is reduced, means for receiving the reduced ore discharged, means for discharging the reduced ore from the receiving means, means for inducing a down draft through the mill, and means to prevent dust passing from the mill with the draft.

5. In a mill for treating ore, the combination of a base, an inner disintegrator above the base and formed with a bottom opening and inclined Walls adjacent thereto, an outer disintegrator surrounding the innerdisintegrator mounted on the base, means for lifting and dropping the inner disintegrator the latter subsequently lifting and permitting the outer disintegrator to fall, means for supplying ore to the disintegrators, and a receiving pan surrounding the outer disintegrator.

6. In an improved mill for treating ore, an inner and an outer rising and falling disintegrator, the outer disintegrator rising after the inner disintegrator has traveled a predetermined distance, means for rotating both of the disintegrators, means for feeding ore into the inner disintegrator, and means for forming the ore fed into a central pinnacle or cone with the said disintegrator.

7. In an improved mill for treating ores, a disintegrator having a percussive action upon the ore and a continuous grinding action thereon when in contact therewith, said disintegrator having two surfaces which act on the ore at different times.

8. In an improved mill for treating ores and the like, an inner and an outer disintegrator, each having a percussive and a continuous rotary action, the inner disintegrator having a greater percussive action than the outer.

9. An improved mill for treating ores and the like, consisting of inner and outer disintegrators having percussive and continuous rotary action, means for feeding material into said disintegrator, and means for forming the material fed into a central pinnacle or cone Within the said disintegrator.

10. In an improved mill for treating ores, a cylindrical disintegrating device having a percussive and a grinding action upon the ore, said device automatically discharging the ore as it is reduced, means for intermittently feeding ore into said device, and

means for delivering the ore fed into the device outwardly in a horizontal plane from the center of the disintegrator.

11. An improved mill for treating ores and the like consisting of a base, inner and outer disintegrators above said base, means for lifting and dropping said disintegrators, means for continuously rotating said disintegrators, and means for feeding ore to said disintegrators.

' 12. In an improved mill for treating ores, an inner and an outer disintegrator, each having a percussive and a continuous rotary action, the percussions of the inner and outer disintegrators being independently or successively delivered, and means for obtaining simultaneous percussions from both of the disintegrators.

13. In an improved mill for treating ores and the like, an inner and an outer rising and falling disintegrator, the outer disintegrator rising after the inner disintegrator has traversed a predetermined distance, means for continuously rotating both of the disintegrators, means for intermittently feeding ore into the inner disintegrator, and means for forming the ore fed into a central pinnacle or cone Within the said disintegrator, the ore automatically passing from the outer disintegrator as it is reduced.

14. In an improved mill for treating ores and the like, an inner and an outer rising and falling disintegrator, the inner disintegrator falling more heavily than the outer, means for continuously rotating both of the disintegrators, means for feeding ore into the inner disintegrator, means for centralizing the ore therein into a pinnacle or cone, the ore automatically passing from beneath the outer disintegrator as it is reduced, means for receiving the reduced ore and means for preventing dust arising during the reduction of the ore.

15. In an improved mill for treating ores and the like, an inner and an outer rising and falling disintegrator, the inner disintegrator falling more heavily than the outer, means for continuously rotating both of the disintegrators,means for feeding ore into the inner disintegrator, means for centralizing the ore therein into a pinnacle or cone, the ore automatically passing from beneath the outer disintegrator as it is reduced, means for receiving the reduced ore, means for de livering the reduced ore from the receiving means, means for inducing a down draft through the mill and means for preventing dust passing away with the draft.

16. An improved mill for treating ores and the like, consisting of a base, an inner and an outer disintegrator disposed above said base, means for lifting and dropping the inner disintegrator, means for lifting the outer disintegrator by and after the inner disintegrator has traversed a predetermined distance, means for rotating both of the disintegrators and grinders, means for feeding ore to the disintegrators, means for centralizing the ore Within said inner disintegrator, and means for receiving the reduced ore.

17. An improved mill for treating ores and the like, consisting of a base, a cam shaft mounted above the base, cams mounted on said shaft, a disintegrator shaft elevated and dropped by said cams, an inner disintegrator carried by the shaft, feeding ports formed through said inner disintegrator, means for intermittently feeding ore into said ports, means for centralizing the ore fedinto said ports and forming said ore into a pinnacle or cone within the said inner disintegrator, an outer disintegrator encircling the inner disintegrator, means for rotating the disintegrators, a receiving box encircling the base, a water pipe communicating with said base, a spray pipe within the box, and a fan communicating with the box for inducing a down current of air through the mill.

18. An improved mill for treating ores and the like, consisting of a base, a frame above the same, a bearing piece carried by the frame, a cam shaft mounted in the'bearing piece, cams mounted upon said shaft, a

disintegrator and shaftlifted and dropped bysaid cams, an inner disintegrator carried by the shaft, a circumferential oil collecting gutter around the inner disintegrator, said disintegrator having feeding ports therein, an inclined centralizingflange at the bottom ofsaidports, an-outer disintegrator around the inner disintegrator, means for lifting the outer disintegrator When the inner one has traversed a predetermined distance upwardly, means for continuously rotating the outer disintegrator and grinder, means for continuouslyrotating the inner disintegrator and grinder by the rotating of the outer one, and a circumferential oil collecting gutter around the outer disintegrator and grinder.

19. In an improved mill for treating ores and the like, wherein an inner and an outer disintegrator is used each of which has a percussive action, means for varying the force of the percussions or blows delivered by each ofthe disintegrators.

20. In an improved mill for treating ores and the like, wherein an inner and an outer disintegrator are disposed above a base and have a percussive action upon material delivered to the base, means for adjusting the distance between the outer disintegrator and the base.

21. Inan improved mill for treating ores andthe like, an inner disintegrator, means for-lifting and dropping the same, an outer disintegrator, means for lifting the same by vthe inner disintegrator after it has traversed a predetermined distance, means for varying-the distance, and means for varying the distance through which the outer dis-- integrator falls.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALBERT VICTOR PARK.

\Vitnesses:

CECIL M. GLAsTmnR, GEORGE A. W REN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five-cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of i-Patents.

Washington, D. G. 

